Tan's Titans: Batavian Redoubt
by roastpuff
Summary: First in a series of short stories featuring Tan's Titans, the rarest kind of mercenaries: honest, reliable and eccentric enough to outweird the Highlanders. First up, repulsing pirate raids on Batavia, with slightly overwhelming odds and budding love.
1. Prologue

_**Tan's Titans – Batavian Redoubt**_

_**Prologue**_

_**Presenting A Battletech Series of Short(ish) Stories**_

_**By Diondi Tan**_

_**Featuring Tan's Titans**_

**2040 Hours, 16 December 3066**

"Look, there's their DropShips, mum!" cried out the little boy, tugging on his mother's skirt. The crowd watched, entranced, as the two DropShips descended vertically through the dusk sky, their yellow fusion flames searing themselves into everyone's eyes. As they grew closer, so did the deafening roar the fusion drives produced. People in the crowd began clapping their hands over their ears, trying to reduce the noise to no avail; the bone-rattling roar continued to permeate their bodies.

The two massive vessels settled almost daintily onto their docks, with their doors facing the crowd. An expectant hush fell upon the crowd, and they were satisfied at the double-T logo emblazoned on them began to part, revealing the interior. The cheers fell freely from their mouths as the first 'Mech stepped onto the ramp.

"What 'Mechs do they have, Dad?" yelled the boy over the crowd at his father.

"Looks like… wow, that's a new one, I've never heard or seen one like it," yelled back the dad. "A Men Shen's after that; whoa, a Vulture; an Orion; Linebacker, that's quite rare; Loki; oh boy, a Gargoyle; Victor; a Naga…? All the way out here, that's really odd; wow, a Berserker; amazing, a Turkina; and Jesus on a jalopy, they have a Gladiator!"

"That's so incredible Dad!" exclaimed the boy. "They have so many Clan 'Mechs!"

"Yeah, I wonder how they managed that?" mused the dad. "They have more Clantech than most House units."

The vehicles came down to a slightly less riotous welcome, and the assembled fighting machines formed up into a neat parade position. The MechWarriors and the vehicle crews dismounted and stood at attention in front of their respective vehicles, waiting for inspection.

The Governor of Batavia came forward, inspecting the rows and rows of neatly painted gray-and-green war machines. He came to a halt in front of the Turkina, and extended his hand.

"Welcome home, Major Tan."

-----

A few days later found the Titans settled in quite comfortable at the Cold Lake Military Reservation, one of two bases on Batavia big enough to handle more than a company-strength force. Upon the Governor's insistence, all Tan's Titans personnel were invited to the Annual Winter Solstice Society Gala; hosted by the Halgarths, one of the fifteen most prominent families on Batavia, the event was one of the top three annual social gatherings held on Batavia. The event was stuffed to the gills with A-list attendees, and was a chance for the Grand Families to participate in a public show of one-upmanship. He remembered going to one when he was younger, and it was incredible fun. Each year, the theme was different, and this year's was historical: movies of the 20th century.

This was how Major Diondi Tan found himself sporting a leather jacket and a pompadour, of all things. The back of the jacket was emblazoned with a stylized thunderbird, and the lettering 'T-Birds' underneath that. He was staring at the vehicle in front of him astonished.

"Bryce, where in Blake's name did you find this ancient derelict?" he exclaimed, running a hand over the smooth, blue-painted roof.

"Ancient derelict?" snorted his 2IC, Captain Bryce Robertson. "Don't tell me you don't know what this is."

"Of course I do!" retorted Major Tan. "It's a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, in mint condition. A car made over _thirteen_ hundred years ago, and one that shouldn't rightfully exist anymore."

"Tell you the story after," said Robertson with a grin, "We're about to be late for the party. I'll let you drive."

-----

The valet and the guests out in the lobby were staring enviously at the blue-and-white Camaro as it rumbled down the avenue behind the other, more modern, traffic. It gave one last rasping roar as it pulled up beside the lobby door, and then coughed quietly as it's motor stopped. The valet nearly dropped the key as it was thrown his way, and nodded dumbly as Major Tan gave instructions.

"-And don't drool on the interior. Got it? Good man," said aforementioned Major, patting the valet before entering the lobby. Catching Bryce's amused gaze, he fought to stifle his own grin and scanned the lobby. It was filled with people dressed in period costumes, and he snorted in amusement as he spotted a few Imperial Stormtroopers and Darth Vaders among the crowd. The male Titans personnel were all wearing the same leather jackets, and the females had silk jackets with 'The Pink Ladies' emblazoned on them. He stopped a passing waiter, and helped himself to several canapés as he continued to scan the crowd. Finding whom he wanted, he disposed of the remnants of the canapés and slowly made his way over. Sneaking up quietly behind her, he poked her in the side and chuckled when she gave a squeak, stiffening in surprise.

"Evening, pretty lady," he said with a smile. He felt his heart skip as she graced him with a sparkling smile, one that included her eyes.

"Evening yourself, you. I thought we agreed to stop the 'pretty lady' thing?" she said. Not waiting for an answer, she continued. "That jacket is far too garish for you. It doesn't suit you, being a bad boy, that is." She maneuvered her hand for a retaliatory poke at him, and Diondi deftly caught it between his side and his forearm, raising an eyebrow in reply.

"On the opposite side of the spectrum, that dress suits you very well," he murmured back, smiling when he saw the pink tingeing her cheeks. He loved it when he made her smile or blush. "You look beautiful, Rachel."

The band struck up a waltz, and he decided to take his chances.

"Would… would you like to dance?" he asked, groaning internally at his stutter. His heart beat faster than it did when he was off facing Smoke Jaguars back on Huntress, and he licked his lips nervously.

"Most definitely," Rachel replied, gracing him with another heart-stopping smile.

As the two moved onto the dance floor, Bryce Robertson turned to his fellow observer. "So, Dawn-Marie, how much longer do you think they will take?"

"Bryce, I don't know!" Dawn-Marie Small exclaimed. She craned her neck back to give the bear of a Scot an exasperated look. "You've been asking me ever since I joined the Titans three months ago! However, I give them no more than a month."

"My thoughts exactly," replied Robertson. His grin was infectious as he offered a hand to the diminutive woman. "Care to dance?"

/End/


	2. Chapter 1

**_Tan's Titans – Batavian Redoubt_**

_**Chapter 1**_

**0420 Hours, 3 Jan 3067**

**Cold Lake Military Reserve **

**Batavia**

The Cold Lake Military Reserve, simply put, was _huge_. Its total area encompassed one-third of Batavia's smallest continent, Java, and ranged from tropical forest to desert. It's basing facilities were immense, having enough space to house several divisions, though the accommodations would be cramped.

With the absence of the Batavia CMM, which was being rebuilt after their involvement in the civil war, Cold Lake seemed very empty. The Titans were only a light battalion in strength, and all this space was incredible to them. As Major Tan scanned the horizon from the cockpit of his Turkina, he silently agreed with one of the off-world recruits' assessment of the entire area: "Bloody hell."

He had split the 'Mech company into two, and set them up against each other. Bryce was leading the other section, facing off against his own, and he was a devious commander. Diondi studied the area map once again before breaking into a grin. He understood what Bryce was going to do now. Triggering his mike, he began to issue orders. "Blue Team, follow my lead. We're heading into that series of ridges to intercept Red Team, so keep your eyes open for anything moving."

Clicks acknowledged their receipt of his instructions, and the force moved as one towards the series of ridges running the length of the firing range. The high density of expended ordnance in the ground made radar and magscan useless, and the hot desert reduced the effectiveness of IR sensors to slightly above nil. That was what Bryce was counting on to get his 'Mechs close to Blue Team's.

Blue Team shut off their sensors as they entered the first ridge. No point in keeping them on as beacons to Red Team while they were useless. Blue Team strained their Mark I eyeballs as they searched for opposing 'Mech silhouettes. Their first sign was an ER PPC shot landing next to the Major's Turkina, turning the ridge wall into molten slag.

"Red 'Mechs two o' clock!" said Major Tan, snapping off a pair of large lasers in reply. One scored the sand on the ridge wall, and the other scored a large line on the Loki that shot the PPC at him.

The air was alive with gauss, lasers, cannons and missiles in the next few seconds as both sides opened up. The Major's Turkina sought cover behind a sizeable rock pillar before rising above it on its jumpjets to fire on the Loki again. A pair of silvery gauss rounds accompanied the paired large lasers this time around, and the Loki staggered as the Gauss rounds delivered a one-two blow to its center torso and the follow-up laser shots completely vaporized the thin armor the Loki was famous for before devouring it's internals. The Loki shuddered as its reactor vented out its anger at being hit, and exploded in a ball of expanding brilliance.

"Loki's down," announced Major Tan over the team radio frequency. "Status check."

"Sinatra here. Gargoyle's down, but my gyro is in pieces," reported a voice over the radio.

"Charles is down. Monty and his Men Shen got me, sir," added another.

"Hackensack here. I got the Men Shen, but sustained heavy engine damage. My rad counter is off the chart," said someone else.

"Ames is alive. Boble got my leg, but I got his leg too, we're both out," said a fourth person.

"Lim reporting in. Outhwaite's Victor is down, but Robertson and that monster of his took off both my arms," said a fifth in a disgusted tone.

"Good job, team. Stay back while it's between me and Robertson," said Diondi, "It might get a bit messy."

He stepped out into the middle of the mini-canyon, daring Bryce to come out after him, and he wasn't disappointed. The menacing hulk of the Gladiator came over a stone pillar on its flaming jets, and thumped down on the other side of the ridge. Diondi triggered his Gauss rifles and his lasers, and started his 'Mech in a walk. The Gladiator shifted over to one side, sidestepping one laser and one Gauss round, but both of the other caught it solidly on the center and left torso. Taking a moment to steady itself, the Gladiator replied with its pair of large lasers in reply, along with it's own Gauss rifle.

Diondi gritted his teeth as all the shots hit and rattled the Turkina, but the 95-ton Clan Assault 'Mech was barely fazed, and continued in its amble towards the opponent. Trading laser and Gauss shots, both 'Mechs closed the distance quickly. At a range of three hundred meters, Diondi triggered an alpha strike, and gasped as the heat spiked. This time, a Streak six-rack followed the lasers and the Gauss rounds to slam into the Gladiator. As if tired of the playing, the Gladiator suddenly sprinted to it's top speed of 86 kilometers an hour, and charged towards the Turkina, which was still loping easily forward.

Taking the initiative, Diondi stomped on both foot pedals and rode the Turkina upwards on its jumpjets. Heat bloomed in the cockpit, but he ignored it as he alpha-striked once again, and grinned when the Gladiator rose on its own jets. The two titans met in the air with a sickening crunch, and battered each other with their arms as they fell down. Hitting the ground with a massive 'whump', the two massive war machines scrambled for a better position. The Gladiator won, managing to come out on top, and Diondi tried to bring his arm up to block the Gladiator's punch. It was a moot point, as the Gladiator batted the offending arm away and fired its lasers at the Turkina's cockpit.

The screen flared white before turning into a picture of the Pearly Gates with the words "You're dead. Welcome to heaven," underneath it. Chuckling, Diondi disconnected his neurohelmet and medical patches before unbuckling the restraints. Cracking the sim pod open, he noticed the gaggle of 'MechWarriors by the main display and got out before speaking.

"I hoped you all enjoyed the show, but that's all for today," he announced loudly, causing a few of the newer recruits to jump and turn around in surprise. "Debriefing is in an hour, grab a shower and show up in combats. We've got some more drills to do."

With a few muttered "Yes, Sirs," the crowd dispersed, heading towards the hangar exit and the bright sunlight outside, eager to catch a refreshing shower. Diondi joined his 2IC, who had remained behind to look at the printouts, before they started walking for the exit themselves.

"So, we're even at thirty-five apiece?" inquired Bryce with a raised eyebrow.

"Give or take a couple, yeah," replied Diondi, "Though I'm surprised you let me win the last few before this one. I wonder why you're doing that; normally, you'd use that beast of yours to outmaneuver the fillings out of me."

"Maybe I'm trying to build your confidence up for something," joked Bryce with a grin. "Chicken-wuss."

"Am not!" declared Diondi.

"Then ask her out," challenged Bryce, "and prove that you aren't. I mean, come on, you're looking at her right now."

"I'm not ready yet," countered Diondi, looking away from the enticing sight that was about to disappear around the corner. Curse those MechWarrior shorts!

"Hah! I rest my case!" exclaimed a smug Bryce. "Chicken-wuss."

"You know, I outrank you, and my 'Mech could use a little degreasing…"

-----

He looked at the people in the room with an appraising look. His new command had only been together for a few months, but he liked the way they were coming together. It was interesting how so many people from so many varied beginnings came together to make this unit the most interesting he'd observed so far.

He looked over at the card table and stifled a grin as he saw the four men playing poker there. The 'Quartet', as they had become known as, were very-good looking men, and they could sing incredibly well. Coincidentally enough, they had names that sounded like famous singers from long ago! Lieutenant Francis Sinatra was the lance leader of Look-See Lance, and he was rakishly good-looking, with dark hair and blue eyes. Raymond Charles was next up, his African-American heritage clearly visible. Michael Boble was a tall blond, with grey eyes, and a voice that 'sounded like warm chocolate for your ears', according to some of the females. And then, there was the joker of the company: Montgomery Python, better known as Monty to the whole battalion. Mad as a hatter, but one of the best scouts he'd ever seen, Monty loved his drinking songs and pranks.

The women were clustered around the pool table, playing in teams of three. Four of them were members of Persuader Lance, the do-everything part of the company. Their lance leader was Julie Hackensack, an older woman in her forties, who was aging gracefully; her full head of brown hair was peppered with strands of white, but she was still as ferocious as ever. Tori Ames was concentrating on her shot, and glared at the offending ball. Ames was a willowy blonde, but had none of the typical blonde qualities; she was smart, cunning, and as tetchy as a hungry lioness. Linda Pepper was the most musical of the group; she had managed to create a band out of the musically-inclined personnel of the battalion, and her own flaming red head of hair could be seen at the front of the stage, leading them during concerts. Lastly, but not least, was Eleanor Rigby. The rookie of the lance, she was a new recruit from Outreach and could often be seen at the simulators long after training was over. The petite brunette wanted badly to prove herself to the rest of the company, and she worked hard at it.

The last two were Rachel Lim and Lucy Outhwaite, both of whom made the up the rest of Titan Lance, the command portion of the battalion. Rachel… was a touchy subject for him. He'd known her ever since his teenage years, and they both stuck together during NAIS, Operation Serpent and the Civil War after that. The black-haired girl was as much a source of frustration as she was a joy to him. Lucy, on the other hand, was the racial opposite of Rachel. An English rose, with the pale complexion, and blonde-streakedauburn hair to go with it, she was another new recruit from the OMTC. It seemed that the two of them had hit it off together wonderfully, and were making fast friends.

His reverie was broken by Bryce's entrance, and he looked over at the massive Scot.

"Look who I found!" Bryce exclaimed. He dragged someone in and plunked her in front of Diondi.

"Little sister!" he said. "When did you come in?"

"Oh, not too long ago," she replied impishly. "I wanted to see the hot hunks of men your command had. They're so much more rugged than the city boys."

"Well, it's good to see you again," he said, "It's been too long."

"Of course it has," she said imperiously. "You impulsively dragged Bryce off to help you form your own mercenary command!"

"It was not impulsive!" protested Diondi.

"Don't mind his manners," chuckled Bryce. "I still haven't got him to behave yet. Come on, let me introduce you to everyone." They ignored a sputtering Diondi and went around the room, meeting all the different people.

-----

"So, interesting people you have here, big brother," commented Jocelyn, staring at her glass critically. "Care to share how you came upon them?"

"Rachel, Bryce and I stuck together from when we were on Operation Serpent, right?" asked Diondi. "After we requested discharge, we figured, why not make our own unit out of all the vets that were on Serpent? That's how we found Linda, Francis, and most of the rest of the people. The rookies we found when we were on Outreach, and Rachel suggested going straight to the OMTC to find the best talent possible. We offered them positions, and they accepted. Easy as that."

"What about Derek's command? How'd they end up joining your unit?" she asked, curious.

"We were having trouble finding jobs as a company-sized force, and so were they. I brought up the idea of joining our units together, and he agreed, and so we did. We offered the same to Dhillon's Dinkums and the Fighting Females, and they agreed too. The DropShips," explained Diondi, "weren't too hard either. I called up David, and he was looking for work along with his partner, so we offered them a long-term merger contract and he accepted it. An Overlord and an Intruder makes for excellent transport."

"Wow, so creating a combined-arms battalion is that easy, huh?" said Jocelyn wryly.

"I guess. It's keeping them under control that's hard," admitted Diondi. The dinner bell rang, and he let it die down before continuing. "Although, having a good chef makes everything easier. Come on, Mistress Thorne is serving her famous fish a la Cajun, and they're to die for."

-----

"Major, wake up."

"Mmm, not now Mum, it's too early," mumbled said Major.

"Major Tan! Wake up!" commanded the person again. Groggily, Diondi woke up to find Rachel bent over his prone form.

"Um, good morning?" he greeted her with a yawn. "It's four in the morning, what is going on?"

"Tracking wants you in the CIC. Something about the arrival of an unscheduled JumpShip at a pirate point," stated Rachel grimly. She was fully in her Leftenant persona now, brisk and business-like; no hint of her usual carefree self was left.

"Right," replied Diondi, willing himself fully awake and slipping into his command mindset. "Tell them I'll be there in two minutes. Meanwhile, wake Bryce up and get him up to speed on what is happening." Leftenant Lim nodded and as she left the room she was bringing her wristcom up to speak into. Diondi took a minute to check his appearance after putting on a jumpsuit. A good CO never let his crew see him in disarray, or demoralized, and he never appears in front of his troops in anything less than top form.

He got to CIC just as he saw Bryce rounding the corner. Waiting for him at the door, the two of them entered into the cool, silent room.

"Leftenant Grigovakis," he said, greeting the CIC on-duty officer. "What is going on?"

"Sir. An unidentified and unscheduled transit signature was detected on arrays Delta and Echo at a pirate point. This happened ten minutes ago, and they have not responded to any of our hails," reported Grigovakis. "The arrays have identified it as a Merchant-class JumpShip, with a Fortress-class and a Union-class DropShip attached. We've informed Major Wilson and Colonel McMurray, but both of them are off-base right now, and will take a good while to arrive."

"Status change!" announced one of the CIC specialists. "DropShips have separated and are beginning one-gee burn towards the planet! Vector looks like atmospherical re-entry."

"Hail them again and warn them off!" snapped Grigovakis, before turning back to the two mercenary officers. "As you can see, they're quite probably hostile; either bandits or pirates, though it's quite rare to see any of them operating this far in the Federated Suns."

"Leftenant! We've got a tentative endpoint for their trajectory, sir!" stated another specialist. "ETA is thirty hours, and their projected landing point is near… Denpasar, sir."

Grigovakis paled at hearing the location, and the two mercenaries shared a look. Being born on the planet, the two knew full well that Denpasar was one of Batavia's biggest tourist destinations, with dozens of resorts scattered on the coastline. If the pirates captured one of the resorts, and held the inhabitants hostage, it would become a very messy situation indeed.

Just then, the CIC doors slid open to admit Rachel Lim. As Diondi began to open his mouth, she cut him off. "I've got Bowen and Armstrong prepping both DropShips for departure, and the Fighting Females are warming up their fighters. Our people are being woken up as we speak, and I've got the loading 'Mechs, vehicles and munitions up into the DropShips. Anything else, sir?"

"No, Leftenant. Excellent job," he replied softly, with a hint of pride. Nodding, he turned to Grigovakis. "What have you got to lend us?"

"Nothing much," replied the Leftenant grimly. "A battalion of infantry, a lance of Vedettes crewed by reservists, two flights of obsolete atmospheric jets – this was why we hired you guys in the first place."

"Alright then," replied Major Tan. "Start evacuating the resorts nearest the projected landing area. Get the Denpasar police to start it, and get your infantry to garrison the town. You're welcome to use my Karnovs, just get them there quickly. Meanwhile, I'm going to see how we can beat these bandits. Oh, make sure Major Wilson and Colonel McMurray get informed as soon as they arrive."

Grigovakis saluted and began to bark out orders, trying to control the rampant fear inside him.

-----

"So, a Union and a Fortress? In the worst-case scenario, that would put a lot of hurt on us," remarked Bryce from the seat beside Diondi. "Thirty-six 'Mechs or so, and we've only got twenty-four 'Mechs and vehicles total. The fighters won't be much help when we close in, either."

"We'll just have to rely on our own troops to pull us through then, won't we?" replied Diondi with a grin. "Besides, nothing could be worse than Achernar or Huntress. I think these pirates will learn to appreciate Clantech by the time we're finished with them."

"Yeah, there is that," allowed Bryce. "Say, what if we draw them in and…"

/End/


	3. Chapter 2

Tan's Titans – Batavian Redoubt 

_**Chapter 2**_

0955 Hours, 3 Jan 3067 Lombok Desert 

**Batavia**

"They've altered course, sir," reported the voice of a tactical analyst over Major Tan's headset. "Their forces have changed bearings to head right for the Conrad resort, sir."

"Thank you. Has Planetary Command evacuated that resort yet?" queried Major Tan. He looked up from the tactical map displayed on his secondary display and surveyed his arrayed forces, standing in the bright sunlight, meager as they were. He sighed and mentally recounted them: a company of 'Mechs, a company of vehicles, and two heavy Aerospace fighters. Not exactly on par with the thirty-six 'Mechs arrayed against them, but it was the best the planet could muster. At least all their 'Mechs were either of Clan manufacture, or had Star League technology installed. The same couldn't be said of their vehicles, but they were potent enough.

Their infantry, and the other two Aerospace fighters were with their Intruder-class DropShip. He was very surprised when Aaron Dhillon, in conjunction with Stuart Armstrong, suggested the idea, but he agreed easily enough. The 'Sneaky Paws' was trying to be sneaky as it charged at the pirates' recharging JumpShip at three gee's of acceleration, but it wasn't really necessary – it wasn't like the JumpShip could actually do anything.

The main problem was the 'Mechs that the pirates had lined up against them. Thirty-six 'Mechs were not to be taken lightly, Clantech or not. Fortunately, not many of them were assault 'Mechs, though there were a pair of Zeus's and an Awesome to contend with. They were loping along at the assault 'Mechs' top speed, which was not very fast, but fast enough to threaten the people inside the resorts.

"Major Tan, they're in the process of doing so, but it will take them another two hours or so," said the analyst, "which is our projected ETA for the pirate force."

"Affirmative," replied the major. "Please inform Planetary Command that I am moving to engage, and have them try to expedite the evacuation."

"Understood, sir. Major Wilson wishes the Titans Godspeed and good hunting," said the analyst, before disconnection.

Major Tan switched to the battalion before taking a deep breath and speaking. "Time to move, Titans. ECM units power up first; we are proceeding with Plan Alpha. Units in Flanker Force, execute Sierra-Two at your discretion. All lances check in when you are at full readiness."

"Persuader Lance is ready to strut," chimed Hackensack.

"Look-See Lance is good for some sightseeing," answered Sinatra.

"Forward Lance is full-throttle," replied the commander of the hover tank lance.

"Striker Lance is smoking' hot!" exclaimed the leader of the fire-support vehicle lance.

"Finisher Lance is fully charged," said Major Walter, the vehicle company CO. "Warmongers are good to go."

"Titan Lance is top-form," added Captain Robertson. "Titans are green across the board."

"Fighting Females are fighting ready," commented Captain Dawn-Marie Small. "You ground-pounders take too long."

The whole force began to move. The units in Flanker Force split off immediately; taking a path that would allow them to wheel around and flank the pirate force under ECM cover. Plan Alpha was quite simple. The detached force would harass the flank, and use their Arrow IV launchers to wreak havoc on the pirates' cohesion. Meanwhile, the main force would meet the brunt of the pirates in a head-on attack, using their superior range and weaponry to whittle the pirates down while slowly giving ground. '

Following behind the wake of the detached force, the main force was ambling behind at a steady pace, covered by the ECM umbrella provided by Lim's Berserker and Hackensack's Linebacker. The six remaining vehicles from the Warmongers were all heavy designs, crewed by a mix of veteran, regular and green vehicle crews.

The possible weak links were the newly modified Pike Support Vehicles. Their previous armament of AC/2's had been replaced by a pair of RAC/5's each. The refit had been successful, and had been tested many times, but never in actual combat. If they failed, it would make a significant dent in the Titans' fighting capability.

Slowly, the main force shook itself out into a staggered battle line, with the vehicles slightly behind and protected by the 'Mechs. The enemy's dust cloud could be seen clearly heading towards them, and the moments ticked by slowly; everyone could feel the tension mounting as the two forces neared each other. Using Persuader Lance as a pivot on the left flank, the battle line wheeled to directly interpose themselves between the pirates and the resort in the distance.

Suddenly, gouts of smoke and sand rose up from the enemy column, signifying the start of the Arrow IV bombardment. It was strangely silent until the sound of the explosions washed over their battle line. The artillery missiles screamed wildly as they took their terminal plunge into the ground, shaking the closely bunched pirate 'Mechs apart. Several expanding balls of plasma could be seen; exploding 'Mechs, falling to reactor damage or simply overwhelmed. Eager to add to the current carnage befalling the pirates, the two fighters belonging to the Fighting Females screamed overhead, releasing their payload in the midst of the beleaguered pirates before heading back for a strafing run. The scout units of the forces darted in and out amongst the chaos, unleashing their close-in weapons and designating targets for the artillery units.

All throughout this, the main battle line of the Titans never stopped moving towards the pirates. The distance dropped steadily downwards as their easy pace ate up the ground beneath, never pausing or faltering. At a distance of one kilometer, they stopped, still under ECM cover, and waited for the pirate 'Mechs to close the distance.

"On my mark, fire on your assigned targets," commanded Major Tan quietly. "Steady… steady… mark."

With that quiet command, eight PPC's, five Gauss Rifles, four ER Large Lasers, four RAC/5's, three Light Gauss Rifles, two LRM 20's, one LRM 15, one LRM 10 one LBX-10 and one Heavy Gauss Rifle opened fire. The effect was devastating; the Titans had split their fire between the four heaviest 'Mechs, and all four reeled from the barrage. The lone Awesome disintegrated as seven PPC shots lashed its armor away and crashed through the reactor shielding to the heart of the reactor. It crumbled and dissolved into its constituent atoms as the overloaded reactor let go, nearly taking another 'Mech near it.

The two Zeuses staggered as Gauss Rifle slugs and RAC shells punched into their armor. The first one vanished in an eye-watering fireball, and the second staggered around drunkenly until Forward Lance's Saladin scooted in and unleashed a double-tap from it's Ultra AC/20 into the Zeus' center torso from the rear. It fell over like a sock puppet devoid of internal support.

A lighter Griffin was the target of the LRMs, and it was flung about a devoid of internal support.

A lighter Griffin was the target of the LRMs, and it was flung about as most of the missiles hit it, scouring away the protection of its armor. The laser shots followed, destroying its internals, and setting off the SRM ammo bin. Its neighbor wasn't so lucky as the laser shots bashed holes into its armor, and the LBX cluster shot that followed found its reactor. The only thing left after the explosion was a pair of blackened stumps that were its legs.

The pirates were already down five 'Mechs, from the earlier Arrow IV barrage and flanking attacks by the scout units. Now, they were down another five, without having fired a single shot! Their return fire was sloppy and uncoordinated; individual units belched off missiles on their own, seeking random targets, and their lasers missed. The ECM cover the Titans were still under played havoc with their targeting systems, and they were milling about.

The next Titan salvo wreaked more armor damage than anything serious, but Finisher Lance's Sturmfeur managed to separate the torso and legs of a Locust in a single blow with its Heavy Gauss Rifle. The pirates were very scattered, and had non-existent leadership, now that the assault 'Mechs were out of the picture. But by the salvo after that, it was obvious that someone had taken the reins, and the pirates began to fight back in an organized fashion.

The Pikes were first to be targeted. The new leader on the other side obviously recognized the threat that they posed to his lighter units, as the RAC/5's were going through the light 'Mechs like a combine through a wheat field. Almost every 'Mech responded to the order to attack them, and both Pikes succumbed to the firepower of twenty-odd 'Mechs pointed in their direction. The crews did not manage to bail out.

"Sierra-Two units, intensify fire," calmly commanded Major Tan. "Expend all ammunition, we will close in within four minutes." The Arrow IV-equipped units stopped waiting for targeting information from the scout units, and began pumping the missiles into the air as fast as they could, trying to saturate the area.

Many of the pirate 'Mechs came through the barrage heavily damaged, with only scraps of armor remaining. Taking advantage of the situation, the Titans began picking off the most-damaged units, aiming at their legs, or exposed internals; this added another three kills to their tally.

The pirates took their revenge upon once-again fast-approaching scout units. Vulnerable skits were torn apart, and the hovertanks found themselves careening out of control as their vehicles were being torn apart by incoming fire. The two 'Mechs also took heavy damage, but both managed to speed away, trailing smoke. The Titans were hurt significantly; they were down eight units from their original twenty-four, a good one-third of their fighting power. The pirates were down to twenty-two, but they had more to begin with, and could afford to absorb the losses even at the lopsided two-to-one loss ratio the Titans were inflicting on them.

The heavy 'Mechs and vehicles that the Titans had proved to be harder kills, and they weren't going to let the pirates take them down easily. The Schrek PPC Carrier took a Grasshopper with it as its reactors went, and the Bulldog took down a Whitworth before falling to the return fire. The two remaining tanks were scarred and pitted, but remained a force to be reckoned with. The Ontos, led by Captain Walter himself, devastated two Centurions and an Axeman before succumbing to damage; the Sturmfeur bowled an Orion and a Hatchetman over before being de-turreted and untracked.

Down to eight 'Mechs in the main force, the Titans fell back in an orderly fashion, skirting the outer limits of their weapon ranges. Any brave or foolhardy pirate 'Mech that tried to get forward was cut down efficiently, and it soon became a sniping battle that was slowly being won by the dint of the Titans' more effective equipment. The last truly heavy 'Mech remaining was a Marauder that was proving difficult to take down; it was clearly piloted by an experienced pilot. It dodged the incoming fire adroitly, and connected every time it loosed a shot.

Major Tan cursed as another PPC shot lashed at his Turkina's torso, and the other whizzed by overhead, causing his HUD to crackle. That Marauder was getting troublesome, though it seemed luckily that the AC/5 linkage had decided to jam. Muttering a quiet oath, he opened a COM channel to his 2IC.

"Bryce, target that Marauder and fire on my mark," he said. "Three, two, one, mark!"

The Marauder was caught in a crossfire now, and it couldn't dodge both salvoes. One Gauss slug sheared off its arm, and the other crushed the cockpit. The lasers washed over the armor, but it was pointless. Without a pilot, the 'Mech stumbled and fell face-first into the desert sand. The pirates were confused and unwilling to go forward again, and Major Tan didn't hesitate to take the advantage.

"All units close into melee range!" he ordered firmly. The entire force surged forwards, firing as they closed with the still-confused pirate units. The entirety of Titan Lance performed audacious Death-From-Above attacks as they came into reach of the pirates, flattening the enemy 'Mechs they landed on before seeking new targets. Leftenant Lim was especially effective, with the hatchet and triple-strength myomer equipped on her Berserker, and she waded into the enemy hordes fearlessly.

Major Tan panted with exertion as he raised his weapon pods to batter at a Panther from behind, and watched as it crumpled before searching for another target. He ignited his jumpjets again, and landed on top an enemy Lancelot; he pumped a large laser into the heavy 'Mechs cockpit before moving on. He noted Lucy and Bryce doing similar things, and felt his heart squeeze painfully as Rachel charged an enemy Champion. He sent his last pair of Gauss slugs into the Assassin that was sneaking up behind her, and turned his attention back to his current target: a Black Knight missing both legs and one arm that was trying to stand up. He stomped on the other arm, and shot a laser into the gaping center torso, putting it down for good, and moved off.

This continued until there were no pirate 'Mechs left, and seven battered Titan 'Mechs stood in the center of the carnage, victorious.

They had accomplished the safeguarding of Batavia.

-----

"Thirty seconds until contact!" announced the pilot of the shuttle through the COM channels. Captain Aaron Dhillon could only grunt as the wild acceleration of the interplanetary vessel pushed many times of his weight onto him, and looked over at his troops. Two battle-armor squads, and four infantry platoons after that; more than enough to take over a Merchant-class vessel. About half were experienced troopers, and he had seeded the greenhorns among them so that they could learn from the old hands.

"Contact!" yelled out the pilot as the shuttle thumped down onto the surface of the JumpShip, quickly followed by the second shuttle. The main doors irised open, and all atmosphere rushed out, except that in the cockpit. Dhillon's troops rushed out onto the hull of the JumpShip, and began cutting through with torches and vibrosaws.

Nearby, the 'Sneaky Paws' floated in place, training its nose guns on the JumpShip, while the two fighters assigned to the Intruder-class DropShip drifted around, performing a circle around the besieged JumpShip. As the first squad cut through, Dhillon ordered them in, and they headed towards pre-assigned objectives; he followed the troopers headed for the bridge. One of battle-armor squads was acting as point, and they used the flamers and laser weapons they were equipped with efficiently, exterminating threats as soon as they popped up. The pirates' hand weapons bounced off the armor designed to withstand 'Mech-grade weaponry easily, and the procession halted in front of the semi-closed bridge doors.

"Surrender, or we will take you by force!" he thundered through the speakers mounted on the exterior of his helmet. A babble of voices came through the doors and he grinned as he remembered what his instructor taught him long ago during training.

Pirates are piffle at defending.

/End/

AN: Thank you kindly to my reviewers! I'm glad you like it so far, and please don't hesitate to correct my grammar or incorrect facts. Please do note that this is based on the Battletech version of , well, Battletech, and not the MechWarrior version.

pchadi0, I was born in Jakarta. I hope that answers your question.


	4. Chapter 3

Tan's Titans – Batavian Redoubt 

_**Chapter 3**_

"How are they, Doc Cottle?" asked Major Tan. He tried to stop fidgeting, but he could not dredge up the concentration to allow his tired mind to command his hands to halt what they were doing. The vehicle crews had taken the most losses, as the more vulnerable vehicles had been taken advantage of by the pirates. Every combat vehicle had suffered copious of damage, or outright destroyed.

"We lost fifteen patients," admitted the white-haired doctor unhappily. He took another drag from his cigarette and continued, waving the flaming tip to add emphasis. "Eight from the two Pikes – the ammo explosion killed them instantly. There was nothing left but pieces. Three from the hovertank lance, and the whole Sturmfeur crew when the turret blew into pieces.

"However, Captain Walter is alive, as are the injured MechWarriors. One PBI was injured in the JumpShip assault, and an armor trooper from when he fell during the DropShip infiltration.

"All in all, it was acceptable." He made a tired wave to indicate the infirmary entrance beside him. "You can let the others know that they can go in to see them."

"Thanks, Doc," said Diondi gratefully. He gave the doctor a squeeze on the shoulder before opening the door and stepping in. Cold Lake's military hospital was just like the base: big and empty. There were more than fifty rooms in a single ward, and each room held only two people, at the most, now. Diondi went along the hallway, glancing at the nameplates, before he came to the set that he was looking for. Knocking on the door, he waited a beat before coming in.

Moving silently to the bed nearest the door, he looked down at the occupant. Rachel was sleeping on her back; her hair was splayed out on the pillow, and she was snoring adorably. Her hands were placed over her side, where he knew that a slice of shrapnel had cut it open; not seriously, thank God. He heard a noise and looked up to see Linda Pepper grinning at him.

"What's so funny?" he whispered at her.

"You are," she replied back, biting her cheek to stop giggling. "It's so obvious that you two like each other, but you keep on denying yourself and she keeps denying herself and it's painful for the both of you. Hell, the whole battalion even has a pool going on you two. We don't mind if you two get together; there's nothing in the regulations that prohibits that. I just don't understand why you feel the need to hurt yourself like that."

He gave Pepper a look, before moving his head to gaze at Rachel again, and brushed some hair off her forehead. Without looking up, he started speaking again. "Get better soon, Pepper. I don't like my people being wounded."

"Yes, sir. A couple of broken ribs won't keep me down for long," she replied unhesitatingly. "You take care of yourself too, sir. The battalion doesn't like its CO to be too hard on himself."

Pepper turned her back on him and put her head back on her pillow. Leaning down, Diondi wavered for a moment before placing a light kiss of Rachel's lips. A moan from Rachel caused him to pull back rapidly. With a last look at her sleeping form, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

-----

"What is our status on repairs, Chief?" asked Major Tan, tapping entries into his memo pad.

"We're back to about eighty percent in BattleMech strength right now," said the Chief, "and I expect my crews to bring us back up to full strength by the end of the week. The vehicles are at about fifty percent, with some completely unrepairable. The Pikes are a complete write-off; the ammo explosion gutted almost everything, though the RAC/5's were salvageable. Same with the Sturmfeur, because it has a shot engine and drivetrain that'll cost more than it's worth to put back together.

"We haven't touched the salvage yet, but Planetary Command has expressed a lot of interest in buying the whole lot of it, and they've offered us some concessions in return."

"Such as?" asked Major Tan, his interest piqued.

"For starters, they said we could pick out two or three from the bunch for ourselves, and we could keep the JumpShip if we gave them the DropShips," said the Chief. "On top of that, they're also prepared to give us a Mobile HQ that was mothballed after the 4th Succession War. I've checked the thing out, and it's in pristine condition – it even has the holoprojector and a fusion powerplant."

"A Mobile HQ! That's incredible!" murmured Major Tan excitedly. "That'll raise our MRBC rating by quite a bit!"

"That's not the best part," continued Chief Tyrol with a smile. "That Mobile HQ comes with a trailer that we can set up near the DropShips when we land that contains another computer system, and that particular system is from the Star League-era; it has more than twice the computing power of the one inside the Mobile HQ. The trailer can function as a command center that can link with the Mobile HQ and add on the capabilities it already has. As well, it'll crack anything but 1024-bit encryption in real-time, or near enough that it won't matter a lot, and keep track of all battlefield data autonomously."

"My God," whispered Major Tan, sitting back in surprise. "We'll do the deal."

"Alright, sir," replied the Chief. "I thought you'd agree to do it, which why I've sent two of my techs to fetch it earlier. As well, I've picked out a Centurion and a Phoenix Hawk to act as guards for it. I trust it meets with your approval, sir?"

"Chief, I'm getting the impression that I'm not needed to run this unit," chuckled the Major. "Why don't you take over as CO?"

The two men laughed together before turning back to the day's paperwork.

-----

"Good morning, Rachel," greeted Linda Pepper as she entered the hospital room that she and Rachel had shared but a day before. "Ready to go back to active duty?"

"Absolutely!" exclaimed Rachel. "Cabin fever's beginning to set in already, so I want out. The Adventures of Clan Spaniel is beginning to get repetitive; there's only so much you can take of Star Captain Bob and his pet Timber Wolf before you want to shoot the Tri-Vid."

"Good then!" exclaimed Linda. "We'll get Doc Cottle to check you over and then we can go."

"Oh, come on, Linda!" pleaded Rachel. "Who trusts a doctor who smokes anyway?"

With a chuckle, Linda handed over the bag of clothing she carried in her hand and waited as Rachel went into the washroom to change. She came out wearing fatigues and Linda held the room door open for Rachel as she tied up her hair into a ponytail.

"Where are we going now?" asked Rachel in curiosity. "What did I miss while I was out after they stitched my side up?"

"Nothing much, just a visit from our esteemed leader," Linda replied teasingly. "Oh, and a battalion-wide shooting tournament scheduled to take place right now."

"He visited me?" cried out Rachel. "That idiot – he pulled the same trick on Achernar _and_ Huntress! What kind of visitor visits when other people are asleep, and doesn't even leave a note?"

"Well, I wouldn't say he didn't leave anything," teased Linda. "It's not something you'd find on your bedside anyway."

"Oh. I thought that was a dream," whispered Rachel softly.

"No, no dream," confirmed Linda cheerfully. "I used my watch face to watch him do it, and you moaned after."

"I was having a good dream," she countered weakly, blushing when Linda raised her eyebrow at her. "A very good dream."

"Right," she snorted. The two turned the corner and exited onto the main parade square, where the whole base was gathered together, watching the tournament excitedly.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" boomed the announcer. "Welcome to the first-ever Titans Potato Cannon Competition! In the final round, we have the Tech Crew, Titan Lance and Transport Lance competing for the title of Potato Master! These three competing teams have to hit the cockpit of Leftenant Julie Hackensack's – give us a wave, ma'am! – Linebacker twice to win the title, and the grand prize, which will be revealed later at the podium! Thank you so kindly, Leftenant Hackensack, for lending us the use of your 'Mech! Be assured, the losing team faces the arduous task of cleaning the Leftenant's 'Mech, inside and out!

"Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for the Tech Crew!"

The crowd cheered lustily as the first team moved their assemblage of parts up towards the designated set-up point, and assembled a fearsome machine. Two compressors were chugging away, pushing compressed air inside a storage tank; what seemed to be miles of tubing snaked between unidentifiable pieces of machinery before ending at the jet-black breech of the actual cannon assembly. The barrel was monstrous, measuring over six feet in length and ten inches in diameter.

Within a few minutes, the techs were ready to fire off their contraption, and assumed their firing position. The crowd cheered once more as the announcer began a countdown from ten, and Rachel leaned over to whisper in Linda's ear.

"When you said shooting tournament, I thought you meant one with guns, not potatoes!" she said, unable to hold back a giggle. The two females laughed before turning their attention back to the spectacle happening before them.

The cheers surged as the leader of the team pressed the switch to release the compressed-air valve, but turned to groans as the cannon shot the potato high. The tech crew shook their heads at their cannon's failure but got to work at preparing for their second shot. This time, it successfully connected with the target, disintegrating into pieces as it met the unyielding ferro-glass.

The crowd cheered, but Chief Tyrol could be seen at the front, shaking his head in disappointment. The cheering peaked as the next group was announced to be Titan Lance.

Titan Lance's set-up was already installed on a cart, and so they only had to wheel it up before firing. Whereas the techs had a mechanical monstrosity as their potato cannon, the command lance, sans their injured member, had one that appeared very organic in appearance. It was a simple affair; a metal cube frame, with rounded edges, held what looked like to be a half-pipe, flanked by two bars running it's entire length. A fairly tall crossbar ran between the two parallel bars, and had a cup right in the middle, obviously designed to hold the potato. The crossbar ran freely on the parallel bars, and it was connected by a thick rod through a slit on the half-pipe to the tube that was underneath. All in all, it seemed plain beside the techs' earlier monster.

Major Tan critically examined each potato, and passed two over before settling on the third. He nodded at Robertson who then attached two leads from a powerpack at either ends of the tube, and gave a thumbs-up to Lucy. She flicked the cover off of a switch, and waited for both men to clear the area before moving it to its active position. The entire frame bucked as an incredible force dragged the crossbar forwards, and the potato was flung airborne by the horrific acceleration.

The potato made an incredibly loud 'splat!' sound as it impacted the ferro-glass, and had completely flattened itself into a circular pile of goop that refused to slide down. A stunned crowd regained its bearings and cheered, and the happy team members waved right back.

The second shot was as just spectacular as the first, and the crowd roared in satisfaction.

"Myomer! That's what they're using in that tube!" crowed an exhilarated Rachel. "How ingenious!" Myomer technology was the basis behind a BattleMech; without these artificial muscles animating a 'Mech's skeleton, it was only useful as a lawn sculpture or a massive paperweight. Myomer musculature contracted when an electrical charge was applied to it, mimicking human muscles, but with hundreds of times of the strength that a human muscle possessed. A small bundle could bend steel bars into pretzels, and lift tons of weight.

This time around, the transport lance members went up. Their apparatus was on a stand, and looked like a cross between the two previous entrants. It was a sleek beauty, with flowing lines centred on two tubes mounted in an 'under-over' configuration.

It only took about a minute or so for the contrivance to be readied, and the crowd screamed ecstatically when a pair of rockets burst forth, each carrying a potato in place of the warhead. The motors cut out fifty meters from the cockpit, and allowed the potatoes to thump into the ferro-glass gracefully.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it seems that we have a tie! In the upcoming tiebreaker round, we will have the remaining contestants shoot at moving targets!"

---

With twenty hits out of twenty-four attempts on a pair of battle-armour troopers, the Transport Lance Crew won with a slim margin over Titan Lance, who placed second.

The crowd devolved into a very big barbecue, with the base personnel supplying the beer and the booze. Music was blaring out of speakers and everybody seemed to be enjoying himself or herself. The walking wounded were helped over and given food, and told to enjoy themselves.

Major Tan stood resting against the feet of his Turkina, repaired from the ravages of battle, absorbing everything that was transpiring before him. So, he wasn't truly surprised when he felt Rachel sidle up beside him.

"Timbiqui?" she offered, holding the still-frosty bottle up for perusal. He wordlessly took it and sipped from it, letting the cool liquid wash the bitter taste out of his mouth. Before he could speak, Rachel cut him off and began speaking first.

"They knew what they were getting into," she said, not waiting for a reply. "We have a dangerous profession. Death, danger, and injury are all part and parcel of our life as a mercenary, and they died doing their duty: protecting the innocent and helpless. We're not some scum unit that goes and causes trouble; I remember you stating that we will refuse any contract that endangers innocent life, and _that's what we are defending against!_ Nobody blames you for anything, least of all me."

Silence was her only reply, and the two stood there, letting the noise from the party wash over them.


	5. Epilogue

_**Tan's Titans - Batavian Redoubt**_

_**Epilogue**_

**Batavia Spaceport, **

**Batavia, Crucis March PDZ**

**1550 Hours, 27 Sep 3066**

"Ten-hut!" barked the drill sergeant of the Batavia CMM. The color guard snapped to attention, and the flags were raised as the national anthem of the Federated Suns arose from the gathered instruments of the band. The afternoon sun glinted off the parade scheme of the Titans' units, awing the assembled spectators.

It had been another seven months on the contract until the militia battalions had received enough units to become fully operational, and the Titans begun a draw-down in operations leading up to the takeover parade. The two units, mercenary and militia, had both cross-trained with each other, sharpening their skills. The rebuilt vehicle units had needed the practice the most, acclimatizing to new vehicles and new crew members who were replacing the casualties incurred in the first Battle of Batavia. Two more raids had come, but the pirates retreated hastily when the Titans' aerospace fighters showed their teeth alongside the 'Sneaky Paws'. The newly-acquired 'Merchant'-class JumpShip was kept busy on runs to the neighbouring units, and made trips to Outreach to pick up new vehicles for the Warmongers.

The new tanks were state-of-the-art, produced by a relatively new faction who had sprung out from the Periphery. The United Systems Republic, as they called themselves, might have come from the outer fringes of the Inner Sphere, but they had technology not far behind the Clans. Captain Derek Walter was personally delighted with the acquisition of a lance of M1 Abrams Battle Tanks to replace the vehicles of Striker Lance. He was so happy with the tanks that he insisted that the Titans order two more to add to the guard for the Mobile HQ.

The entire parade ground was still as the flags were run up, and the Governor walked up to the podium, accompanied by Major Tan and Brigadier-General Swinton, the Militia CO. Clearing his throat, the Governor swept his gaze over the assembled throng as he began to speak.

"Fellow Batavians, Titans, and Militia members..."

-----

"What an eight months, eh?" whispered Bryce Robertson into the ear of Dawn-Marie Small. The two were standing at the bar, watching couples dance on the floor to the soft music performed by the orchestra. Major Tan and Leftenant Lim was in the crowd, the two holding each other close. "Pirates, training, love..."

"Aw, be quiet Bryce," retorted Small. "They look cute together."

"Maybe," he allowed with a broad grin. "Want to dance? We should observe them more closely."

-----

The sun was dim when the Titans finished loading their DropShips with their units. The crowds were still outside, however, waiting patiently for the crew members to appear and say their last goodbyes to the friends and admirers that they had made in the last few months. There was no fancy send-off parade this time; merely people on foot milling about to greet the departing members.

Diondi looked at his parents, already behind the barrier separating the assemblage of people from the DropShips. His sister was the only one left now, standing in front of him with that exasperated expression all little sisters seemed to employ on their belligerent older brothers.

"So, where are you going to go haring off to?" she said, mildly curious herself.

"Frankly, I don't know myself," admitted Diondi. "My agent says he has another contract, but he refuses to tell me what it is and what it entails until I get back."

"Well, wherever you go, take care. I don't want to lose a big brother," she admonished. The two siblings hugged for a moment, and she left to join his parents behind the barrier.

With one last wave, Major Diondi Tan strode up the ramp to the main bay, and prepared to lead his unit home.

A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed my story! I hope you enjoy it, and keep your eyes peeled for the next one!


End file.
